Ahmedabad Ultimate: First Days

Namaste,

Ok so second blog.

My apologies for not having a chance to do a follow up sooner + a lot of info so i am going to do short stories (not all) and then you can ask about specific ones!

Map for guidance (West side of the river):

* My First night, the real journey has begun!
after successfully negotiating my way through the day, the night had arrived. With sudden news of a host family i was off, shipped onto the back of a 150cc Honda racing machine(or near enough).We shot through the very quiet streets of AMD (Ahmedabad)with at this point only a couple of thousand crazy cyclists, ricks, cars, tractors, cows & street dogs. weaving through the obstacles and good pace, a wierd sensation occurs.... although your life seems to be on the line every 20s, there is a deep level of understanding and trust in each and every person on the road. Hard to describe apart from the feeling that although playing 4-way chicken at a crossroads, there is no doubt that all will cross safely.

* Host family
So after my first 5min experience of bike hopping, i arrived in a neighborhood just East of the university. Host brothers Kavan & Manan are brilliant! Host parents are both welcoming and lovely. Home is compact and typical of a lively family, with a dirt garden with two enormous trees that have peacocks forever looking down at you.

Sky TV is on and everyone chills in the lounge under the fan. I will be staying with Kavan in the lounge, whilst everyone else is next door. Morning, and woken to the question of 'you like some chai?'. Yes, even at 37 degrees piping hot tea is a must! More creamy and slightly sweeter i struggle not to sweat more, whilst enjoying the home comfort. Breakfast and i am pleasantly delighted that my first dish happens to be sliced mango, complimented by mango juice (liquidize and mix with ice - ICE MELTS BEFORE YOU EVEN GET IT FROM MIXER TO CUP). Overall effect is = simply love in a cup.

ok breakfast done - time for back garden cricket.

This, i would soon find, would become a bit of a tradition for the next 3 days. Only two stumps and laundry lines blocking the eye sight of the catcher, however the outcome - 1st ball: spin delivery to leg stump = out for a duck & 2nd ball (great connection)- caught of trousers at 2nd slip = out for a goose.

* Now 6.30 and slightly late for 1st practice at the University ground. Again the ground is dusty but it is great to see so many people occupying the facilities and field space to play football, cricket, tennis or simply running/ walking. There is a real sense of opportunity as this is the only part of the day that sport can be played and players stay alive, except late evenings. After training and watching some youngsters play football, Kavan leads me to a court where some of his friends are playing tennis and a small quick cricket match underway.
TIME TO APPLY MENTAL TOUGHNESS - 2nd opportunity to attempt to display any form of cricketing ability. Outcome - 2 defensive, 2 decent drives, 5th ball and gone... not me, but the side of club has splintered off (nearly perfectly spherical). Kavan explains how it was wasn't my fault but the bat was not brilliant, instead it was home-made by a young lad who is insisted it was not my fault.... hmmm decision: cricketing career over!

* Trying to overcome my cricket experience, i am fortunate to bike hop with Dush (Dushyant)to the Indicorps office. Having had a successful session in the office, everyone heads to the riverside for a spot of plate chucking. Being the first social activity i take the opportunity to talk to everyone. As the light falls bats (in large numbers) appear. It then struck me, a feeling of peacefulness as the sky seemed to echo a loud song, later to be explained as the prayer song. It is played fom a mosque about a mile away loud enough that anyone and everyone will be able to listen and prayer at the same time no matter where they are. For me it was a beautiful location, music and for once no beeping horns.

* Back home, Kavan and Manan take me on a moonlight walk around the local area. A stop off at a little shop for soda and ice cream is so good, considering it is still 31 degrees. Classic memory: dog using a bus stop as a bed!